Saratoga

    When I first met Tony, he kept telling me about this horse racing track in upstate New York...Saratoga Race Course.  It is the oldest horse racing track in the United States.  He talked about how great it was, how it was soooo different from Oaklawn Park...how all these famous people visit there, etc, etc...  The first time he took me there....like maybe ten years ago, I was IN AWE!  His descriptions did not do it justice!   He asked me, "Did I talk this place up too much, are you disappointed?"  Ummm NOOOOO!  It is amazing!  They have a very short racing season (last week of July through Labor Day), and it is one big race after another..  It's not just a race track, it's more of an EVENT...and it's an event for families.  Of course, there is "Millionaire's Row", where the famous people do gather, but there is a huge area set up with picnic tables, playgrounds, vendors, and everything you would need for a fun day.  This was the first time the girls have gone to Saratoga, and they loved it!  Even one day, when we didn't have any definite plans, Tony said, "What are we gonna do today?"  Maggie immediately answered, "Go to the track."  They loved the horses!  We went three times while we were in New York.  Once was opening day, then the "Bacon Clan" had a family day, when we met for breakfast and stayed for the races that day.  Aunt Patti, Aunt Joanne, Uncle Ted, Uncle Mark, Aunt Dawn, Aunt Nancy, and cousins Kayla and Kyle were there for the fun.  Then, on our final day in New York, we stopped one last time for a few races.  Nobody hit a jackpot, but we had lots of fun.  One day, we were driving in the car, and I heard the girls tearing paper in the back seat.  I just ignored them, assuming this was part of something they were pretending to play.  When we stopped to get out, I told them to pick up all their paper scraps so we could throw them away.  They quickly informed me, "Mom, those are not paper scraps.  We were watching a horse race, and those are our losing tickets that we tore up and threw on the ground."  Too bad we weren't able to model cashing in  tickets for big money instead of tearing up the losing ones!

One of the lead horses.  The rider was so nice,

he stopped and let the girls pet his horse.

In front of the beautiful race track.

Lizzie, Maggie, and Kayla chasing a butterfly.

They walk the horses from the barns to the paddock

area right the middle of everything.  People line the fences to

 watch the race horses walk through.  Then, you can gather around

the outdoor paddock area and watch as they saddle the horses

 and get them ready for the race.

The jockey's room is right in the middle of the fun, too. 

The jockeys come out and are escorted to the paddock area

where they hear that famous "Riders Up".  All this is in the middle of

what looks like a huge carnival so everyone can watch.

As they come out of the jockeys room,

 fans are standing all around, and when asked for

an autograph, they almost always oblige.

Love how you are always right in

the middle of the action.

One of our favorite things, watching the horses

go by on the way to the paddock.

This must've been taken after a close

 race that didn't go his way!

Lizzie's Words Worth Remembering:

After watching a horse go by with no

saddle, blanket, blinders, etc..., Lizzie yells,

 "Daddy, that horse is NAKED!"